I don't care who the installer is when they say they "gurantee" 10 months use one should ask a whole bunch more questions.
How many panels are required VS how many any particular roof will allow.
As was stated in a previous post, surface area....the bigger the pool the more heat loss/gain.
With a cover or not? Ugly or not, pool covers are a must if one is to maximize use of the pool in the cooler months.
Once temps start going below the high 60's at night and during the day it is almost impossible for the solar to keep a pool swimable let alone 80 degrees.
We made sure we put in an extra panel or two morw than the calculation reccomends. We also have a gas back up heater. And we use a pool cover during Dec and Jan.
We keep the gass heater set at 80 so as to never lose a warm base temperature. December through January the heater runs for an hour or two each morning.
I keep the solar temp set at the maximum (104 on our controller)....it will never reach that temperature in non summer months and assures maximum heating per outside temperatures.
In my opinion the statement of being able to use the pool 10 out of 12 months or guarantee 80 degrees are nothing more than tip the scale in the direction of making the sale. Too many variables to makw such definitive statements.
btk
PS don't forget to put your solar system in bypass during those periods when the temperatures go below 38 degrees for prolonged periods of time to keep water from being delivered to the panels when the pool pump is running.
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